Automatic control system for railway-trains.



. A. S. JONES. AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1913.

1,,141,,873 PatentedJune 1, 1915.

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ARTHUR S. JONES, or BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, assrenon or ONE-HALF To LINCOLN c. CUMMINGS, or BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR RA ILWAY-TRAINS.

menses,

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Application filed February 17, 1913. Serial No. 748,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR S. JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Control Systems for RailWay-Trains; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an automatic control system for railway trains, and more particularly to a system for automatically stopping a railway train in case it is run past a danger signal.

The object of the present invention is to produce an automatic system for controlling railway trains, which will be simple and at the same time reduce to the minimum any possibility of failure in stopping the train. a

'With the above object in view, the present invention consists in the automatic control system for railway trains hereinafter described and particularly 'set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate more or less diagrammatically the preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a diagram of the electric circuit on the train v 6 of each block are, of course, insulated from each other by the ties. Track batteries 7 are connected between the two lines of. track rails of each block. Connected between'the two track rails of each block by means of the wires 8 and 9 is a track relay 10. the sake of simplicity only the section 2 isshown as provided with a relay. When the block of track 2 is clear,--the energized relay 10 closes a circuit 11. When a railway locomotive or, car is upon the block, the two lines of track' rails are connected through the vehicle wheels and axles which act as a short-circuit for the relay 10, and the armature 12 of the relay 10 moves away from the relay magnet and breaks the circuit 11. The

circuit 11 contains a battery 13, track mag net 14, and a motor 15 for lowering the Semaphore arm 16. The return for the circuit 11 is through the ground as indicated. The semaphore 16 and its operating motor 15 are such as are ordinarily used on railway block signal systems and are placed at the end of the block 1 to signal a train about to enter block 2. The track magnet 14, as particularly illustrated at the lower part of Fig. 1, is preferably formed of a piece of soft iron rail so wound as to form a vertical electromagnet. When the block 2 is clear, the semaphore arm 16 is lowered and the diagrammatically shown magnet 14 is energized. For the sake of simplicity .only the end of block 1 is shown as provided with the semaphore 16 and track magnet 14. The direction of movement of trains, as indicated by the arrow, is from left to right of Fig. 2, so that the semaphore will indicate to the'engineer when. he comes to the end of block 1, the condition of block 2. Placed on the right of way beside the magnet 14 is a piece of iron rail 20, which acts as an armature for a Patented June 1, 1915.-

magnet on the train. The piece of rail which forms the track armature 20 is somewhat shorter than the piece of rail which forms the magnet'14. The track magnet 14 and the track armature 20 cooperate with a movable armature and a movable magnet respectively on the railway train.

The railway train is preferably provided with air brakes. The pipe 25 connects with the-train-pipe and .is provided with arelief valve 26. When the valve 26 is open, the air escapes from the train-pipe and causes the brakes to be set in the manner usual with 7 air brake systems. The air brake system is that commonly employed upon railway trains. Over the to of the pipe 25 is a whistle 27 which indicates the fact that the valve 26 has been opened. The valve 26 is provided withan arm 28 upon the end of which is a weight 29. The-arm28 is raised by means of the armature 30 and magnet 31 which normally keep the valve 26 closed.

Aga n 32 limits the movement of the armathrough a normally closed circuit 36. Shunted around the magnet 31 is a tell-tale or pilot light 37 which indicates whether the circuit is opened or closed. A fuse 38 is placed in the circuit 36. The circuit 36 is normally closed by means of a circuit breaker 40; The circuit breaker '40 consists of a permanent steel magnet 41 carried by a movable arm 42 which is normally held raised by means of a spring 43. The. current from the circuit 36 is led through windings on the magnet 41 to strengthen the magnet, and prevent its losing its magnetism. The current from the -circuit 36 passes through the arm 42 to a contact 46 with which the arm is normally held in engagement by the spring 43. A stop 47 limits the movement of the arm 42 away from the contact 46. The magnet 41 is mounted on the train so that when the train ispassing, the

magnet 41 moves directly over the track ar-.

mature 20. When the magnet 41 is passing over the armature 20, it is attracted thereby against the tension of the spring 43 and opens the circuit breaker 40. A circuit maker 50 is shunted around the circuit breaker 40. The circuit maker 50 comprises .a movable arm 51 which is normally held breaker 40. When the track magnet 14 is I /not' energized, the armature 53 is not moved and the circuit maker remains open.

The operation of the system is as follows :In the first instance, it will be suposed that a train is nearing the end. of block 1' in the direction indicated by the arrow, and that block 2 is clear The current y from the track' battery 7 will, therefore,

energize the rela- 10 closing the circuit through the relay "attery 13 which energizes the track magnet 14 and lowers the somaphore arm 16 to' indicate that block 2 is clear. When the train passes the semafront end of the energized track ma et 14 and be attracted thereby and close t e circuit maker 50. Then, the magnet 41 will.

pass over thejront end of the track armature 20,v and be attracted thereby and open the circuit breaker 40. As soon as the mag- My a net 41 is carried beyond the end of the track armature 20, the circuit breaker 40 will close and thereafter the armature 53 will be moved beyond the end of the track magnet 14 and the circuit maker 50 will open. Since the track magnet '14 :is longer than the track armature'20, the circuit maker 50 closes before and opens after the opening and closing of the circuit breaker 40, and thus'insures that the circuit breaker 40 is shunted as long energized and the semaphore arm 16 is allowed to rise to indicate danger.- If the engine driver attempts to pass the semaphore to leave block 1, the brakes are auto-' matically set and stop the train. When the armature 53 is brought over the now deenergized track magnet 14, it is not attracted so that the circuit maker 50 remains open. As soon as the magnet 41 is brought over the track armature 20, it is attracted thereby and opens the circuit breaker 40. The train circuit 36 is thereby opened and the ma et 31 is deenergizedL The arm 28 falls an opens the valve 26 letting the air escape from the train-pipe 25 and setting'the brakes. F This system operates upon the closed circuit principle, and it will be evident from an inspection of the drawings that in case any of the circuit connections break, that the system will erron the side of safety and cause the train to be'stopped. It will be seen that whenever a train passes from one block to a clear block ahead both the circuit breaker and circuit maker will be actuated. The circuit breaker operates as other mechanism into operation and cause the brakes to beset. The circuit maker 50 operates as an inhibitor device which, when the track ahead is c ear; prevents the brake operatingbmechanism from being set into operation y the initiatory'device or an initiatoryi device which would act to set circuit breaker 40. Since both the circuit maker and circuit breaker are operated eve time the train passes onto a clear only operates upon the closed circuit principle, but is also so constructed that the, de-

vices on the train, which are operated from the track, are operated every time the train menses passes from one block-to another so that they are always kept in working order.

The foregoing description has referred to the use of the invention as a train control- While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been specifically illus trated and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, but may be embodied in other constructions within the purview of the invention as set forth in the following claims 1. An automatic control system for railway trains having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, an electro-magnet on the road bed, connections for energizing the magnet when the block ahead is clear and for deenergizing the magnet when the block ahead is occupied, an armature on the road bed near the electro-magnet, brakes on the train and means for setting the brakes including an electric circuit, a circuit breaker in said circuit comprising a magnet arranged to be attracted by the armature on the road bed, and a circuit maker in shunt with the circuit breaker comprising an armature arranged to be attracted by the magnet on the road bed to close the circuit, substantially as described.

2. An automatic control-system for railway trains having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, a magnet on the road bed, connections for energizing the magnet when the block ahead is clear, an armature on the road bed near the magnet, brakes on the train and means for setting the brakes including a normally closed electric circuit which, when broken, operates to set the brakes, a circuit breaker in said circuit, a magnet connected with the circuit breaker and arranged to be attracted by the armature on the road bed to open the circuit breaker, a circuit maker shunted around the circuit breaker, and an armature connected with the circuit maker and arranged to be attracted by the magnet on the road'bed to close the circuit maker, substantially as described.

3. An automatic control system for railway trains having, in combination, .brakes on the train and means for operating the brakes including a normally closed electric circuit the opening of which operates to set the brakes, a normally closed circuit breaker in the circuit, means on the road bed for operating the circuit breaker. to open the said circuit at intervals, a normally open circuit maker shunted around the circuit breaker, and means on the roadbed for operating the circuit maker in case the track ahead is clear so as to cause the circuit,

maker to close a shunt around the circuit breaker and prevent the setting of the brakes, substantially as described.

4. An automatic control system for railway trains having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, brakes on the train and means for operating the brakes including a normally closed electric circuit the opening of which causes the brakes to beset, a circuit breaker in said circuit, and means comprising a member on the road bed for opening and then closing the circuit breaker ibefore the train enters ablock, a circuit maker in shunt with the circuit breaker, means for operating the circuit maker having an electrlcal connection with the block ahead and operating, when the block ahead is clear, to keep the circuit maker closed while the circuit breaker is open, the block ahead is occupied, to allow the circuit maker to remain open. while the circuit breaker is open, substantially as de scribed.

5. Anantomatic control system for railway trams having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, an electro-magnet on the road bed, connections for energizing the magnet when the block ahead is clear, an armature on the road bed near the electromagnet, brakes on the train and means for setting the brakes including an electric circuit, a circuit breaker in said circuit comprising an electro-magnetic device cooperan' ing with the armature on the road bed to open the circuit breaker when the train passes over the armature, and a circuit maker in shunt with the circuit breaker *comprising an armature cooperating with the magnet on the road bed to close the circuit maker, substantially as described.

6. An automatic control systemfor railway trains having, in combination, a track divided into-blocks, brakes on the train and means for operating the brakes including an electro-magnetic initiatory device, an electromagnetic inhibitory device for preventing the initiatorydevice from setting the brakes, means on the road bed .for operating the initiatory device at intervals, and means on the road bed including an electric circuit connected with the block ahead for operating the inhibitory device in timed relation with the operation of the initiatory device when the block ahead is clear, substantially as described.

7. An automatic control system for railway trains having, in combination, brakes on the train and means for operating the brakes including an electro-magnetic initia tory device, an inhibitory device for preroad bed for operating the initiatory device at intervals, and an'immovable means on the road connected with the trackahead for and operating, whenventing the eleetro magnetic initiatory device from setting the brakes, means on theting the brakes,

operating the inhibitory devicein timed relation with the operation of the initiatory device when the track ahead is clear, substantially as described.

8. An automatic control system for railway trains having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, brakes on the train, and

the road bed having a connection with the block ahead and cooperating with the in-' hibitory device by means of magnetic induction to operate the inhibitory device in timed relation with the operation of the initiatory device when the track ahead is clear, substantially as described.

9. An automatic control system for railway"trains having, in combination, a track divided into blocks, brakes on the train and means for operating the brakes including an initiatory device, an inhibitory device for preventing the initiatory device from setting the br kes, means on the road bed out of contact ith the initiatory device and cooperating with the in'itiatory device by means of magnetic induction to operate the initiatory device at intervals, and means on the road bed having a connection'with the bloclijahead, out of contact with the inhibi tory device and cooperating with the inhibitory device by means of magnetic induction to operate the inhibitory device in timed relation with the operation of the initiatory device when the track ahead is clear, substantially as described.

ARTHUR S. JONES. Witnesses:

HORACE VAN EVEREN. GEORGE E. STEBBINS. 

